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Obviously the Brits haven’t seen America’s version of The Office.
This week London’s Guardian newspaper posed the following question: “Is the U.S. sitcom, like, so over?”
“I can’t imagine a sitcom from America now that could be as huge as Friends was in its mid-1990s heyday,” said writer Gareth McLean.
He said that: “As popular as My Name Is Earl is, I can’t imagine anyone popping into the hairdressers and asking for ‘a Joy’, can you? And though The Big Bang Theory has a bouncy theme tune by The Barenaked Ladies, I can’t see it reaching Number 3 in the singles charts, as The Rembrandts’ ‘I’ll Be There For You’ did back when we were all obsessed with Ross and Rachel and the gang.”
McLean said that — since the end of Will & Grace — there hasn’t been an American sitcom that has truly captured the British public’s imagination.
McLean’s commentary brought about a flood of comments from readers citing their love of U.S. sitcoms such as Scrubs, 30 Rock, and How I Met Your Mother.
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Comments
By Chief Wiggum
March 20, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
My opinion is that TV, in general, isn’t very good these days. To make up for a lack of substance, the networks fill air time with reality shows, like Idol, Survivor, Big Brother, Fear Factor (is that nasty thing even still on?), and we’re on Round 2 of the game show fad (Round 1 was about 5 years ago).
I was never a huge Friends fan, but I remember that for way over a decade, NBC had a great Thursday night. They replaced shows, but many of them were good.
Not exactly related, but I’m old enough to remember when MTV and VH1 actually played music.
By SG Griffin
March 20, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
The only funny thing on TV is: The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy..and the local Atlanta news stations.
By brock
March 20, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
I like Earl, but I so miss Arrested Development. Wish Fox would have stuck w/ it. Reality (shows) bites!
By Camille
March 20, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
The sitcoms are “like, so over.” The only thing on tv these days are shows that are geared towards “peeking” into the lives of others. It seems like the shows with the biggest ratings are the ones that embarrass its participants the most (like the audition phase of American Idol).
I absolutely loved shows like Will & Grace and Mad About You. Like Chief Wiggum said, NBC did always have the best Thursday nights. I think that ER is still on, but the main characters have changed/left and the show has taken such a different direction these days. Plus, I just really don’t get to watch tv these days as much as I used to. However, what is on is mostly garbage. I’m sick of America’s Next Top Model, American Idol, and I don’t care who wants to join what band/non-singing group. I also don’t care what celebrity did what today (did TMZ really need to have its own tv show, although I’ve never seen it). It’s mostly just all garbage…
By Buck From Tucker
March 20, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this
Dagmar Midcap is the only reason I watch CBS 46. OMG, I would give up watching One Man’s Wilderness on PBS EVERTIME it comes on.
Oh Dagmar, if you are reading this could you give me a sign? Perhaps wear that fitted, ribbed grey pullover that send old Buck crazier than a mule eatin brairs!
By West Cobb Dad
March 20, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this
Friends was THE Gen-X sitcom. Our age and how we wish our life was (a rent control apartment in NYC). We grew up with Sesame Street, hit puberty with Cosby, and matured with Friends. Now we have anything but reality shows. (So scripted, edited, and set up, it’s not even worth watching.) Scrubs is good, but just a comedy with no hard substance. I find myself watching Bommerrang when cartoons were cartoons and the History and Science channel. At least I get to learn something from those last two instead of letting my brain go to mush with “drama” on these reality shows or the 5 minute commercial break from these game shows before the answer is given. These days, if it isn’t an instant hit, it instantly hits the fan. No one is given a chance anymore.
By Buzz in Roswell
March 20, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
I agree with the sentiments above. American TV has gone down the drain. Two of NBC’s top shows (Deal and Office) are British imports. The only show I make a point of watching is Heroes, and that has been off since December due to the strike. Will & Grace was the last good American sitcom. Friends was the last great one. My TIVO is filled with Discovery and History channel documentries and reruns of the shows I miss from the 90’s.
By Master of My Domain
March 20, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
Absolute best sitcome has to be Seinfeld. Even after years of syndication, I can still stop on an episode and crack up laughing. He definately had a hit on his hands. Old formulary shows like The Jeffersons and Sanford and Son still make me chuckle. I was never a “Friends” watcher but loved the old days when NBC had Cosby, Different World, Family Ties, Cheers then LA LAW and much later ER. Thursday night was the night to watch TV. And the best part was you could watch all of these shows with your Mom, dad or kids.
By Hiawatha Smalls
March 20, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
I agree the sentiments stated above.
However, in my opinion 30 Rock has to be the funniest american show. Other than that, american TV is just plain horrible.
By Vincent
March 20, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this
I yearn for “Seinfeld” and “Frasier,” sitcoms with edge, sitcoms with wit. The vastly overrated “Friends”? Bleh.
By Ann Ramsey
March 21, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this
The only thing I watch these days besides news broadcasts and the Lehrer Report is HGTV—and that is rapidly deteriorating into glimpses of people with way too much money shopping for overpriced houses. The decorating ideas are good, though! I hate to think that the world judges our culture to be so shallow and self-centered by what is on our TV shows.
By Andrew
March 28, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
The only shows worth watching come from HBO and Showtime (Entourage,Dexter) Even the Food Network no longer shows people how to actually cook food. Its all show-downs, contests, and the history of the twinkie.